Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA) scribe, Dr. Paul Adalikwu has described the blue economy drive as a viable alternative for youths and women empowerment in Africa.
Adalikwu who said this during a visit to the Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Communication and Unlocking Routes, Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC), His Excellency Jean Pierre Bemba,said the sustainability of African economies lie in productive engagement of her teeming youth population and women in many areas including maritime transportation either as micro entrepreneurs, professionals and artisans.
According to the MOWCA SG, the unexplored and untapped benefits from marine related commercial activities such as seafaring fishing, under water engineering, oil exploration and other activities in the various value chains are capable of strengthening African economies if properly harnessed.
The MOWCA SG told Vice Prime Minister Bamba that the organisation is also raising awareness to promote more female gender inclusion in maritime activities as a way to expand their level of economic emancipation.
The SG also informed that MOWCA wants to promote the Blue Economy initiative by creating jobs for Women and the Youths particularly in Coastal Countries like DRC. African Development Bank had keyed into this initiative by planning to provide funding to MOWCA.
Adalikwu said MOWCA,like the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) is strongly committed to helping its Member States achieve the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 5 which focuses on gender equality and empowerment of women and girls.
The SG said MOWCA is working on facilitating professional network and mentorship programme to bridge the generational gap between aging maritime professionals and younger ones where knowledge transfer could be achieved in addition to formal training obtainable at the maritime training institutions.
Dr Adalikwu appreciated the Vice Prime Minister for granting the MOWCA Delegation audience and congratulated him on his recent appointment as he gave an overview of his strategic visions and action plan for the 25 member country body since his assumption of office
He applauded DRC for being a key member and very supportive to the advancement of MOWCA’s vision and mission over the years;
He presented engagements with Organizations such as- IMO (Signed Joint Action Plan), AFREXIM BANK, AFDB, AFCTA, AU, ECOWAS, ISCOS, ECCAS, ICC Yaoundé amongst others.
He said a workshop on how to prevent Inland Waterway accident was organized by MOWCA /IMO/ IMRF in Gabon on 15th to 18th July 2024 and commended the Minister for approving Experts from DRC attend meetings Organized by MOWCA
On transformation of MOWCA into the African Maritime Organisation (AMO) ,he informed the VP Minister that MOWCA Council of Ministers had agreed that MOWCA which is 25 Countries from West and Central Africa, should be transformed to African Maritime Organization (AMO) which makes it a Continental Organization. This makes it total of 54 Countries there-by allowing for a stronger voice at the International arena like the IMO as a united African bloc; the transformation which recently had received endorsement from IMO, ISCOS, ECCAS, ECOWAS, AFDB and partially from AU, sought for DRC’s cooperation in realizing the vision
Update on the Visit to Nigeria: SG informed that MOWCA will be 50 years in 2025 and approval letter was received from Presidency of Nigeria for Council of Ministers of MOWCA to meet in the next 90 days to discuss how the Summit of Heads of States and Government of MOWCA on maritime issues would be planned; to launch the RMDB, discuss the establishment of a regional shipping line; He stressed the need for the Heads of State of MOWCA to meet to x tray MOWCA at 50 years and promised that a letter of invitation will be circulated soon.
Bemba expressed gratitude to the SG MOWCA for visiting DRC and pledged support for the organisation while promising to nominate an Executive Director representing DRC into the Board of the soon to be launched Regional Maritime Development Bank (RMDB) .
The Vice PM stated that DRC will be represented at the upcoming Regional Maritime Fund workshop in Brazzaville in September 2024 while assuring maximum cooperation on all issues presented by SG MOWCA including sending youths from DRC to attend training at Regional Maritime University, Accra Ghana and ARSTM, Cote d’Ivoire.